Vision Enhanced: God's Kingdom

... for the building of God's kingdom in the city.

This is the "why."  Why I do all of those other things.  Why I do stuff that sometimes feels mundane.  Why I ask others to take steps on this divine adventure with me.

It is because I believe that God's Kingdom is a really good thing.  I believe it is so much better than anything we imagine or strategize for ourselves.  And I believe it is the worthy purpose behind the holistic development of leaders.  The fact is that we aren't guiding people into the fullness of following Jesus if they aren't actively engaged in the growth of God's kingdom.

Plenty of people (Dallas Williard, Tim Keller, many others) have written really wonderful things about God's kingdom, and I heartily encourage you to study up-- at the very least looking at Jesus' own references to the kingdom of God in the Bible. In the very simplest terms, the kingdom of God describes a place where God is king.  It's where things go the way that God says they should.  It is where there is no power or priority above God himself.  The other characteristic that stands out from Jesus' metaphors is that it is a place that's kind of quirky.  He compares it to mustard seed and to farmwork (Mark 4), and he says that prostitutes and tax collectors get in more easily than rich folks (Matthew 19 & 21).  It is not an easy thing to capture or imagine.  At least, not until we experience it.

Where do I experience it in the city?  I see God's kingdom being built when young adults in low-income neighborhoods see that they have something to offer as leaders and mentors to others.  I experience the kingdom when someone steps out and serves in a way that is unique and beautiful to them.  It happens when a church invites its members to walk and pray with God's heart and eyes for their neighborhood.  It happens when a guest at the soup kitchen connects with another human-- whether through a compliment, talking about a shared hobby, or eating a meal together.

I want to see more of those things.  I want less of our kingdoms-- our outcomes -- our strategic plans -- our consultations and trainings even-- and more of God doing the unexpected, quirky, growing, nurturing stuff that happens when he gets to reign and rule in our lives.

Thanks for joining me in unpacking these loaded phrases!  It's been good for me to be regularly reminded of the depth of the work to which I am called.  Hopefully with this as background, stories of ongoing first-hand ministry will make more sense.  I hope to use this as a framework that moves me and our team forward in the months and years to come.  Keep ya posted!